Earlier this week I had a conversation with a lady about being petite. We both agreed that it is hard to find clothes that fit properly and most of the time they have to be altered in some shape or form... And when we do find properly fitted clothes we go crazy and buy them in all colors (I am so guilty of this. Oops!) . I am not saying that clothes should automatically be made to fit properly for everyone (we all can't afford custom). All I am saying is that I never really understood how clothing brands come up with what they believe to be considered petite sizing, or really any sizing. It seems as if the word "petite" stands for someone that is around 5'4" and a size 0. However, not all petite girls 5'4" and under are a size 0.
How do we "petite" girls wear clothes when everything seems to cater to the majority? I've come up with 7 tips and tricks that I've used to help me:
1. Length above the knee - When picking out dresses or shorts try and find a length that is right above the knee. A mid-length makes it so you don't appear shorter. Pant seams should go down to right above the angle if you like wearing skinny jeans. The great thing about today's fashion is we can get away with cutting jeans and leaving the edges raw. My only recommendation is to sew a stitch around it so it doesn't roll up.
2. Nude Heels - Nude heels make your legs appear longer and won't distract from the rest of your outfit. I like to wear a nude color that closely match my skin tone the best.
3. V-neck - A good deep v-neck will make you appear taller and give you length.
4. High Waist Pants - Pants have always been hard for me to find ( I'm sure everyone can agree on this ). I always end up wearing leggings since they're the easiest of any "pant" to wear because they never have to be hemmed. But a good pair of high waisted pants will make your legs look thiner and longer.
5. Boxy Clothes - If you wear something that is boxy pair a belt with it to give you a waistline. Showing your waistline will make sure to give you shape and proportion. Also, make sure the waistline of the garment goes to your natural waist. If you don't like belts tie a knot on the side for shape.
Dress Tip: Tie a knot on the bottom of maxis if a dress is too long.
6. 3/4 Sleeves - Sleeves have also been another tough area and are almost always too long. 3/4 will alleviate the unnecessary extra fabric.
7. Cuffs - If you don't always have the luxury to get your clothes hemmed or altered; cuffing them can do the trick! When cuffing a garment make sure they're small. For someone who is petite like me I recommend the bottom of your pants to be no larger than one inch. The taller the person the bigger the cuff size can be.
I hope you find this helpful! What are some tips and tricks you do to style your clothes?
- - -
